San Vicente (also Caliza San Vicente, Piedra San Vicente, Moon Grey, London Fog, Gris San Vicente or Pietra di San Vicente) is a Spanish Tertiary dimension limestone from the quarrying area of San Vicente de Castellet near Barcelona with a dark grey to grey-brown overall effect and a characteristically cloudy, mottled material signature. A Tertiary limestone with high compressive strength (135 MPa) and a distinctly low water absorption (0.26 %) — used for calm, elegant floor surfaces, wall claddings, staircases, paving and interior fit-outs with a cool Mediterranean character in a modern Spanish-Catalan architectural language.
Petrographically this is a limestone of Tertiary age from the quarrying area of San Vicente de Castellet in the province of Barcelona in Spanish Catalonia. Listed in the stone trade as marble — an established convention for polishable carbonate rocks, although San Vicente achieves only a matt and not a high-gloss polish. The dark grey colouring results from organic substances and carbonaceous sediment components.
Other trade names: Caliza San Vicente, Gris Saint Vincenc, Gris San Vicenc, Gris San Vicente, London Fog, Moon Grey, Piedra San Vicente, Piedra de San Vicente, Piedra die San Vicente, Pietra Di San Vicente, RO-02-295, San Vicenc, St. Vicente
About San Vicente
San Vicente is one of the most tradition-rich and internationally best-known dark Spanish dimension limestones. The stone is quarried in the quarrying area around the municipality of San Vicente de Castellet in the province of Barcelona in the autonomous region of Catalonia — a region that has supplied natural dimension stone to the Spanish construction industry for centuries and is closely bound in cultural and historical terms to Catalan architecture and the building tradition of Barcelona. On the international market the stone is listed under several parallel trade names: San Vicente, Caliza San Vicente (Spanish for “limestone San Vicente”), Piedra San Vicente (Spanish for “stone San Vicente”), Moon Grey, London Fog and Gris San Vicente. The designations Moon Grey and London Fog are commercial marketing names used in the English-speaking market to describe the grey, atmospherically restrained effect of the stone.
Geologically this is a limestone of Tertiary age formed by sedimentation in a former shallow shelf sea. The dark grey to grey-brown colouring results from organic substances, fine pyrite proportions and carbonaceous sediment components — typical of carbonate sediments deposited under low-oxygen conditions. The cloudy, mottled structuring arises from uneven mineral distribution in the original sedimentation and from later diagenetic changes. Colour variants are also quarried in the same quarrying area — San Vicente Azul (blue-grey) and San Vicente Rojo (reddish) — which belong to the San Vicente family as related sortings. The DNSA database notes that the stone achieves only a matt polish (no high gloss), which underlines its natural material character.
Visually, San Vicente is characterised by a calm, elegant, mineral and restrained material signature. The base tone moves in the dark grey to grey-brown spectrum with occasional lighter cream-beige brightenings and subtle warm undertones — an atmospheric Mediterranean tonality reminiscent of moonlight or London fog (which is where the marketing names Moon Grey and London Fog come from). The cloudy, mottled surface structure shows fine fossil micro-components, occasional light calcite inclusions and subtle darker pools. Slab-to-slab variation is moderate — all slabs show the characteristic dark tonality; individual slabs vary in colour intensity and density of clouding. The calm, restrained appearance makes San Vicente a flexible choice in planning terms for large-area installation — the stone does not impose itself, but sets a distinguished, atmospheric background.
Technically San Vicente ranks among the higher-quality Spanish dimension limestones, with documented values: bulk density 2755 kg/m³, compressive strength 135 MPa (exceptionally high for a limestone), flexural strength 18 MPa, abrasion resistance 0.6 cm³/50 cm² (outstanding, typical of granite), water absorption of only 0.26 %. These values qualify the stone for demanding interior and exterior applications — the outstanding abrasion resistance makes it particularly suitable for heavily loaded floor surfaces with high foot traffic, an advantage that many other limestones do not achieve. Like all carbonate rocks, San Vicente is acid-sensitive and reacts to citric acid, vinegar or acidic cleaners with matt etching. In external applications the stone should be installed with constructive protection, or its frost resistance should be verified by a fabrication sample from the specific delivery.
In interior fit-out, San Vicente is a versatile choice for modern, Mediterranean, contemporary-elegant and industrial architectural concepts. Classic applications are floor surfaces in entrance halls, residential and commercial spaces, wall claddings, stair treads, skirtings, window sills and bathrooms. The cool grey tonality harmonises with numerous design concepts — from contemporary minimalist architecture with clear white and black steel to Mediterranean-industrial spaces with warm timber fittings and brass accents. San Vicente is a classic choice for modern Catalan and Spanish architecture that combines Mediterranean tradition with contemporary clarity. Outdoors the stone can be used for paving, façade claddings, plinth formations and stairs — the outstanding abrasion resistance makes it particularly suitable for intensively used external surfaces, though the acid sensitivity and the unclassified frost resistance limit its use under the most intense weathering with road salt loading.
In stock
Current availability from our warehouse.
15 slabs in stock · plus 2 blocks
Thicknesses: 3 cm · Finishes: Satin-honed · Available as: Slabs
Guide values for the stone type, taken from manufacturer and test reports. Natural stone is a natural product — individual batches and slabs can differ. For critical applications, request slab-specific test data.
San Vicente is available in a range of finishes. The finish affects appearance, feel and the care it needs.
Satin-honed
The surface is brushed — softer minerals are selectively removed, creating a subtle depth and a matte appearance. Strongly veined limestones in particular gain a characterful look and feel this way. The more matte finish conceals small etch marks better than a polish and stands up better to everyday use on heavily used interior surfaces.
Care & fabrication
As a Tertiary Spanish limestone, San Vicente is acid-sensitive, but thanks to its low water absorption of 0.26 % and outstanding abrasion resistance it is a robust representative of its material class. Indoors, use exclusively warm water with a pH-neutral stone cleaning agent for daily cleaning — acidic household cleaners, vinegar, citric-acid descalers or other acidic substances cause matt etched areas that can only be reversed by professional re-polishing. Take up spilt acidic liquids promptly with clean water. A professional impregnation after installation and then every 2 to 3 years is recommended indoors — it reduces the absorption of pigments (red wine, coffee, olive oil). On the dark grey base tone, light pigment traces or water-droplet rings are visible, which is why clean cloth material should be used when wiping. Outdoors, the avoidance of road salt in winter is to be observed — chloride-free de-icing agents are the gentler alternative. External applications should primarily be executed with constructive protection (beneath a canopy, plinth protection), or the frost resistance should be verified by a fabrication sample from the specific delivery.
Frequently asked questions
What do the parallel trade names such as Moon Grey and London Fog mean?
Moon Grey, London Fog, San Vicente, Caliza San Vicente, Piedra San Vicente and Gris San Vicente are synonymous trade names for one and the same Spanish Tertiary limestone from San Vicente de Castellet near Barcelona. Moon Grey and London Fog are commercial marketing names from the English-speaking market that poetically describe the grey, atmospherically restrained effect of the stone — moonlight and London fog as images for the cool mineral tonality. “Caliza” and “Piedra” are the Spanish terms for “limestone” and “stone”. The choice of trade name depends on the supplier and the target market.
Where does San Vicente originate?
San Vicente is quarried in the quarrying area around the municipality of San Vicente de Castellet in the province of Barcelona in the autonomous region of Catalonia (Spain) — a region that has supplied natural dimension stone to the Spanish construction industry for centuries and is closely bound in cultural and historical terms to Catalan architecture and the building tradition of Barcelona. Colour variants (San Vicente Azul, San Vicente Rojo) are also quarried in the same quarrying area and are listed as related sortings.
Why does San Vicente achieve only a matt gloss and no high gloss?
The DNSA database notes for San Vicente that the stone achieves only a matt polish, not the classic high gloss of many other carbonate rocks. This property is material-specific and results from the mineral composition and grain-size distribution of the Tertiary limestone. The natural matt finish (satin-honed) is therefore the standard choice and fits well with the calm, restrained, Mediterranean-modern character of the stone.
Is San Vicente suitable for heavily used floor surfaces?
Outstandingly so. The exceptionally low abrasion value of 0.6 cm³/50 cm² is typical of granite and makes San Vicente particularly suitable for intensively used floor surfaces — entrance halls, commercial spaces, hotel lobbies and heavily frequented commercial premises. The high compressive strength of 135 MPa complements the mechanical robustness. The acid sensitivity is, however, to be observed — acidic cleaning agents and spilt acidic liquids are to be avoided.
Is San Vicente suitable for external applications?
With reservations. The low water absorption of 0.26 % and the outstanding abrasion resistance qualify San Vicente technically for external applications such as paving, façade claddings and stairs. In external applications in freeze-thaw climates the stone should be installed with constructive protection, or the frost resistance should be verified by a fabrication sample. For openly weathered horizontal paving with pronounced freeze-thaw cycles and road salt loading, frost-certified hard stones are the more robust alternative.
Which applications are classic for San Vicente?
San Vicente is classically established for floor surfaces in entrance halls, residential and commercial spaces, wall claddings, stair treads, skirtings and window sills. In modern Mediterranean interior fit-out the stone is used for calm, elegant contemporary architectural concepts that appreciate the cool grey tonality. Outdoors, paving, plinth formations, entrance areas and façade claddings — in constructively protected applications — are processed as proven solutions. The stone is a characteristic choice for modern Catalan and Spanish architecture.
What does San Vicente cost?
The price depends on the batch, thickness, surface finish and fabrication — with natural stone there is no serious flat rate per square metre. Business customers see prices once their B2B account is activated; private customers receive a complete quote through a fabricator near them.
